Inside the second week of the world’s most popular cycle race Alexander Vlasov entered after the fall. There was no time for recovery, so the first stages, and two of them were just the toughest, I rode on morale and willpower.
“I managed to sit down a bit in the first stage after the break,” Vlasov admitted to . – But even if the stage is considered busy, it’s not easy. Either way, someone tries to escape, the sprinters don’t want to miss the chance and try to catch up, the pace picks up.
– The first mountain stage after a rest day – how did you feel? Die but not give up?
“Something like that, yes. I also told myself that if I get up at the Galibier, then it will take a long time to do, so it’s better to do it in a company than to be alone.
At some point, I decided to take a risk. In vain?
– I believed in myself a little, but the body reminded me that it was too early, that he had not quite recovered yet.
– How was the first Alpe d’Huez of his career?
“It was cool, of course, but very hot. As long as possible, I tried to stay in the group of leaders, but then I broke down and I already advanced at my own pace. The fans helped, it gave strength. I liked the mountain and the atmosphere was amazing. This year there was a similar atmosphere at the Tour of the Basque Country, at the most difficult stage – there was also such a corridor that only the steering wheel could hold. And there were even more people.
– The last step before the rest day was at +40. In Carcassonne, it is generally hard. How did you cope?
– It was hot, they used ice, they constantly fetched water. The “Tour” is usually very hot – after we left Denmark it is constantly hot.
The peloton continues to lose people due to covid. How is the test system organized on this “Tour”?
“Last year they tested harder, now only the antigen test. We came from the stage to the rest day, we did a test in a tent, and that was it. The teams they -themselves carry out tests only if someone has a runny nose, coughs, if there is anything suspicious, PCR is immediately carried out.
– Now in 11th place in the “general” – the general classification. Was it possible to go on stage?
– Tried to do this last week, tried to go away, but they won’t let me go, they twitch right after me. I will go further to “general”.
Of course, I was counting on a better leg and a better result, but in the end, I put up with it every day. A normal story for cycling, but after a fall the body doesn’t work like that and the energy is spent on recovery, healing. Bandages are changed two or three times a day. I get up early to change doctors.
– The “Tour de France” as a school of life?
— Endurance school.
– When the stage was interrupted because of eco-activists, we had to wait.
“I didn’t even understand what was going on. Then we were told over the radio what had happened. This hasn’t happened to me yet. Unfortunately, of course, it was to start over.
What to expect from the third week?
– The first stage after a rest day will be interesting – two mountains is quite heavy. Then two important mountain stages and “butchering” on the remaining forces.
Will Jumbo-Visma keep the yellow jersey?
“Yes, anything is possible. The third week is the most unpredictable, they lost two (Jonas) Wingegor also fell, apparently without consequences. In general, the second week passed relatively calmly, but this stage with the arrival in Carcassonne in the heat, you lose concentration when you ride long and monotonously.
Have you driven on wet roads? Race organizer ASO denied using 10,000 liters of water.
— The road was wet, but only in places. I also drew attention to this – why do we ride in the wet? But then I saw the news – the road was watered.
Source : MatchTV
